The Elliott H. Coulter Collection of The United States 1869 Pictorial Issue continued...

EXTREMELY FINE. ONE OF THE FINEST OF THE FEW KNOWN PHANTOM RATE COVERS SHOWING THE 8-CENT CREDIT TO ENGLAND.

As the sender indicated, this letter was carried on the NGL's Rhein, departing New York on Apr. 2, 1870, and arriving at Southampton on Apr. 12. The 8c credit corresponds to the 12c Phantom Rate. Beginning July 1, the fully-prepaid rate was reduced to 10c, and the credit to England was reduced to 6c.

Illustrated in North Atlantic Mail Sailings 1840-75 (p. 249) and Rose book (p. 125). Ex Juhring and Grunin. (Image)

VERY FINE. ONE OF THE MOST UNUSUAL FRANKINGS FOR THE 20-CENT PHANTOM RATE TO FRANCE. AN OUTSTANDING COVER FROM THE FASCINATING PERIOD FOLLOWING THE EXPIRATION OF THE U.S.-FRENCH POSTAL TREATY.

This cover comes from the well-known General Norton correspondence and has been featured in numerous publications on U.S.-French mail rates and, in particular, the Phantom Rate period from January 1, 1870, to October 28, 1871.

The sender of this cover in Maine certainly was not aware of the unannounced fully-prepaid 12c (single) rate to France and Algeria, which was applied to mail only at the New York exchange office on letters bearing sufficient postage. This letter probably weighed a half-ounce, more or less, thus the sender erred on the side of caution and applied 20c postage for the double 10c per half-ounce rate to the French frontier (with postage due in France). The New York foreign-mail clerk weighed the letter and decided to send it fully prepaid via Great Britain, applying the 4c per half-ounce U.S.-G.B. rate plus two 8c per quarter-ounce (7.5 grams) credits for British transit postage to France. By coincidence, the double rate to France by Direct Mail (part paid) and the Phantom Rate effective 1/1 to 6/30/70 for a letter weighing 7.5 to 15 grams (over -1/4 oz., up to -1/2 oz.) were both 20c. Therefore, when the letter was stamped with 20c postage and its weight was within the parameters for the 20c fully-prepaid rate, New York could send it via England and apply the corresponding credit.

Illustrated and discussed in Hargest (p. 171-172) and Rose book (p. 54) (Image)

EXTREMELY FINE--ABSOLUTE PERFECTION. THIS COLORFUL AND VERY RARE COVER BEAUTIFULLY DEMONSTRATES THE PHANTOM RATE TO FRANCE WITH 6-CENT CREDIT TO ENGLAND. WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE FINEST EXAMPLES OF THE PHANTOM RATE EXTANT.

Illustrated in Rose book (p. 83). Ex Lehman and Haas. (Image)

FINE AND COLORFUL EXAMPLE OF THE PHANTOM RATE TO FRANCE SHOWING A VERY EARLY APPLICATION OF THE 6-CENT CREDIT TO ENGLAND.

Effective July 1, 1870, the new Anglo-French postal convention reduced the rate between Great Britain and France to 3p per 10 grams, which in turn reduced the Phantom Rate from 12c to 10c (with a corresponding reduction in credit to GB from 8c to 6c). The 15c stamp is a typical overpayment of the 10c Phantom Rate. The cover was carried on the Cunarder Aleppo on its first voyage, departing New York on July 7, 1870.

Ex Hubbard. (Image)

VERY FINE. ONE OF TWO RECORDED COVERS REPRESENTING THE EARLIEST USAGES OF THE PHANTOM RATE TO FRANCE WITH THE REDUCED 6-CENT CREDIT TO ENGLAND.

Following the expiration of the U.S.-French mail treaty on December 31, 1869, the announced rates to France were 4c by British Open Mail with 5 decimes due from the addressee, and 10c Direct with 8 decimes due from the addressee. However, the New York postmaster was aware of and employed an unannounced fully-prepaid rate to France. A 12c rate with 8c credit to England was published in the foreign postage tables for Algeria, but it also applied to mail destined for France. The 8c credit reflected the 4p per 7.5 grams Anglo-French rate. Effective July 1, 1870, the rate from England to France was reduced to 3p per 10 grams, which consequently lowered the U.S. credit to England on prepaid covers to France from 8c to 6c. These are known as the 8c and 6c Phantom Rates to France (referring to the credits to England).

The 20c postage on this cover was undoubtedly intended to pay the double 10c rate to France with the expectation that 16 decimes postage would be collected in France. At New York it was sent fully prepaid under the Phantom Rate provisions. The 12c credit is twice the 6c credit that went into effect on July 1. Two covers are recorded which demonstrate that the New York foreign mail office anticipated the reduced Anglo-French rate and applied 6c (or 12c) credits to letters that would arrive by steamer after July 1.

Ex Juhring (Image)

VERY FINE. THE ONLY RECORDED EXAMPLE OF THE 30-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ON A PHANTOM RATE COVER. A MARVELOUS COMBINATION OF PHILATELIC RARITY AND POSTAL HISTORY SIGNIFICANCE.

This cover was mailed from Pittsburgh soon after the New York foreign-mail office began applying the newly-reduced (effective 7/1/70) 6c per 10 grams (-1/3 oz.) credit to letters sent fully prepaid to France via England. The sender would not have known about the unannounced prepaid rate to France, so this was probably stamped 30c for a letter weighing just over one ounce (3x 10c Direct rate with French postage collect). The New York office weighed the letter at just under one ounce, thus it had sufficient postage to be sent fully prepaid at the unannounced 10c per half-ounce rate with a 6c credit to G.B. for every -1/3 ounce (10 grams). The "18" of the "18/2" credit represents the 3x 6c credit (20-30 grams), and the "2" represents the second weight class of the 4c per half-ounce U.S. share of postage (over -1/2 oz., up to 1 oz.). Combined, the 18c credit to G.B. and 8c U.S. postage required 26c prepayment, thus the 30c 1869 overpaid the rate by 4c.

Illustrated in 1869 PRA Census (p. 201, where the rate is misinterpreted). Ex Lounsbery. With 1967 P.F. certificate. (Image)